“It is not that these notes have lost their values. As soon as the banks re-open, we will get these exchanged,” said Satyajit Roy, owner of Roy Brothers, a garment shop, at Gariahat Market in south Kolkata.

“The VHP is a part of the Sangh ‘parivar’ so if they are protesting against something, which is anti-national and are asking for our support, we might lend it,” a senior RSS leader told The Indian Express.

Sources said Rahul was reportedly unhappy with Ganguly being nominated to the Rajya Sabha, as he thought “there were other senior leaders from Bengal who were far more politically qualified for the post”.

Dr Bhunia, on being asked if he had officially joined the TMC or if he had resigned from the Congress party, restricted his response saying he had come under the umbrella of the TMC which he thought was the 'Real Congress'.